Watch Richmond Police Officer Ed Sheeran's Emotional Cover on 'America's Got Talent'

In an episode full of amazing acts, it was police officer Mervin Mayo from Richmond, Virginia, who really stole the spotlight. AMERICA has talent.

Ed Sheeran's heartfelt rendition of 'Thinking Out Loud' left the judges and audience in awe, earning him four enthusiastic yeses and a standing ovation.

Mayo, who has dedicated his life to helping at-risk youth, shared a deeply personal story before his performance. He recounted his challenging upbringing in the Richmond housing projects and how a police officer named Curtis Simmons saved him from a life of crime.

“I've seen more murders as a kid than as a police officer,” Mayo revealed. The experience inspired him to become a police officer and mentor to at-risk youth, working tirelessly for 17 years to provide the same guidance he once received.

With the encouragement of his wife Michelle, director of school counseling for Richmond Public Schools, Mayo decided to take a leap of faith and audition for AMERICA has talent. His rendition of “Thinking Out Loud” was more than just a song — it was a tribute to his wife and the journey they've shared.

As Mayo sang, he often glanced towards the wings where Michelle watched proudly, adding a layer of genuine emotion to his performance.

His smooth, soulful voice captured the essence of Sheeran's romantic ballad and his heartfelt delivery resonated with everyone in the room.

The judges were visibly moved by Mayo's story and performance. “You have a really good voice and everything you did was honest,” praised Simon Cowell. Sofia Vergara echoed those sentiments, saying, “You are a beautiful couple and your voice is amazing. Super romantic, how beautiful that you love her and sing to her.”

Howie Mandel praised the couple's dedication to their community, saying, “You are the people who keep us safe and the people who are in our school system. You're both serving the community and that's great.”

Heidi Klum summed up the judges' feelings: “You sound great there. You felt like at home. I felt the love. It was beautiful.”

Ed Sheeran's “Thinking Out Loud” hit the Billboard charts. It was released in 2014 as part of his album x (Multiplication)the song reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and remained in the top 10 for 23 weeks.

It also became the first song to spend an entire year in the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100. Additionally, “Thinking Out Loud” topped the Billboard Adult Pop Songs chart and earned Sheeran two Grammy Awards in 2016 for the song of the year and best pop solo performance. In his home country, “Thinking Out Loud” spent two weeks at the top of the Official UK Singles Chart.

To see how Mayo are doing in the competition, tune in AMERICA has talent on Tuesday at 8/7c on NBC or stream it the next day on Peacock.

Watch his entire performance at AMERICA has talent below.